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Asian black-spined toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus)

This toxic toad is a biosecurity concern because it could prey on Australian native wildlife and compete with native amphibians. It has been intercepted at Australian borders, but no individuals have been recorded on the Australian mainland.

Key facts

Type: Pest animal, amphibian.

Native to: South and Southeast Asia, extending from Pakistan and India to southern China and Indonesia.

Established in: VIC, NT.

Other names: Asian common toad, Asian spined toad, Black-spined toad, Bufo melanostictus.

Best time to act: Survey near still or slow water on warm, wet nights, especially after rain, when calling males may be active.

Identification

  • Adults are about 60 to 99 mm long and are greyish or reddish brown.
  • Look for raised bony ridges on the head and long, dark crests bordering the eyelids and running beside the eyes.
  • Tadpoles are black and grow up to about 15 mm long.
  • The species has toxic secretions in glands on its back, so avoid handling a suspected toad.
  • Look-alike: It may be confused with cane toads or native toads; use the head ridges and dark crests around the eyes as identification clues, and seek expert confirmation.

Where it lives

It uses open grassland and savannah, cultivated areas and places near human habitation, and breeds in still water or slow-moving streams; it has not been recorded on mainland Australia.

Why it matters

  • It can prey on small native animals, including insects, lizards, geckos and land snails, and has been associated with declines in native species populations where it has established.
  • Its toxic secretions can cause serious illness or death if the toad is eaten, and contact with the toxins can cause allergic reactions.
  • Competition for habitat has been reported to displace a native toad in Bali.

How it spreads

  • Toads may be moved unintentionally with freight and shipping containers; individuals have been detected on containers at Australian borders.
  • Introductions can also be intentional: in Timor-Leste, the species was introduced to control mosquitoes.
  • It lays eggs in water, and its larvae can survive in streams, puddles and brackish water.

Control methods

  • If you suspect this species, do not handle it or attempt control until its identity is confirmed; photograph it and report the sighting promptly to your state or territory biosecurity agency.
  • Follow agency instructions for any capture or removal, using approved methods and taking care to protect people, pets and native toads from the toxins.
  • Check likely breeding waterbodies and nearby shelter sites repeatedly, and arrange follow-up surveys because eggs and larvae may be present in water.
  • Do not use herbicides or unapproved chemicals; eradication actions should be carefully planned to avoid harming native amphibians.

Site hygiene and welfare

  • Inspect freight, vehicles, boats and equipment for stowaway toads before moving them, especially after work near wetlands or other potential breeding sites.
  • Remove mud and organic debris from boots and gear, and avoid transferring water, soil or wet material between sites.
  • Use methods set out in the national model codes of practice and standard operating procedures for the species.
  • Coordinate control with neighbours and the local government biosecurity plan, as isolated effort is quickly undone by reinvasion.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): National priority exotic pest. On the National Priority List of Exotic Environmental Pests, Weeds and Diseases, so any new detection should be reported straight away.
  • Queensland: Prohibited matter. Report it to Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23 within 24 hours and do not move or deal with it. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Prohibited dealing. All dealings are prohibited in NSW, so it must not be kept, bred, sold, moved or released. Report any sighting to NSW DPIRD. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Prohibited pest animal. It is a prohibited pest animal in Victoria. The Victorian Government is responsible for controlling it, so report any sighting to Agriculture Victoria.
  • South Australia: Declared animal. Declared animals have legal restrictions, which can cover keeping, moving, selling and releasing them, and landowners may be required to control them.
  • Western Australia: Declared pest (C1), prohibited. C1 Exclusion: to be kept out of WA, or out of the parts of WA where it is not established. Report any sighting to DPIRD. It must not be brought into WA (prohibited organism).
  • Tasmania: Not a declared pest. Not a declared pest or prohibited matter in Tasmania. Importing animals is still controlled by Biosecurity Tasmania.
  • Northern Territory: Not a declared pest. Not on an NT declared or prohibited list. Check with the NT Government before keeping, moving or releasing it.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • Northern Territory: Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976 (NT), administered by NT Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Sources